Pretoria – The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga has welcomed a double life sentence handed down by the KwaMhlanga Regional Court to 26-year-old Sibusiso Charles Kabini, who was this past week convicted of raping and robbing three women.
Kabini ambushed the women behind local shops and threatened them with a knife before raping them. In one incident, he raped a woman in the presence of her young child, SAPS Mpumalanga spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said in a statement this weekend.
“Kabini's reign of terror took place between July and December 2018. According to the details of the incidences as revealed in court, during the said period Kabini preyed on women between the ages 18 and 25. He would wait for them behind a local shopping mall at KwaMhlanga, where he would rape and rob them of their personal belongings using a knife,” said Hlathi.
“In one of the incidents, he unashamedly raped a woman in front of her five-year-old child while [they were] on the way to a local clinic. Kabini's despicable acts continued where at one stage he also raped a woman who was pregnant at the time and she too was on her way to the local clinic.”
He said the third woman went through a similar ordeal as she was coming from a tavern. She was raped around the shopping mall.
“These rape incidents were reported to the police and through a thorough investigation they managed to arrest Kabini in December 2018. He was subsequently brought before court and with the assistance of forensic evidence obtained, Kabini was then linked to the said crime scenes at which the state managed to have a watertight case against him.
“Kabini was then convicted, hence his sentencing as follows: for count one, which is rape, he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. For count two, which is also rape, Kabini got a life sentence. Count three, which is robbery with aggravating circumstances, [he] was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. For count four, of rape, Kabini got another life sentence,” Hlathi said.
Handing down sentence, Magistrate Marlene Grawensteyn had remarked that Kabini had no respect for women and children.
“She further indicated that the country is battling with crimes against women and children. She pointed out that Kabini showed no remorse to his victims and the sentence should serve as a lesson that the judiciary does not take crimes against women as well as children lightly,” Hlathi said.
Kabini's particulars would be entered into the national register for sex offenders.
“The police management has thanked members of the family violence, child protection, and sexual offences unit (FCS) for their relentless efforts in preventing the accused from preying on more victims.
"The management is of the view that Kabini's hefty sentence will assist the victims in their journey to find closure and healing from the unfortunate emotional trauma that they had to endure as a result of this man's vicious and lustful acts,” said Hlathi.
African News Agency/ANA